Bursting my fringe theatre bubble for the night, I ventured to the London Palladium to catch Jamie Lloyd’s reimagining of EVITA, feeling excited about what to expect as I’d never seen the musical before! Even though the show was new to me, I visited the Evita Museum in Buenos Aires last year and was already intrigued by the life and legacy of Eva Perón. 

Set in Argentina between 1934 – 1952, EVITA tells the story of Eva Perón, played by Rachel Zegler and her climb from humble beginnings to fame as an actress and finally to her position as Argentina’s First Lady alongside Juan Perón (James Olivas) and the most powerful and influential woman in Latin America of the time. The story is framed by Che Guevara (Diego Andres Rodriguez), who acts as a narrator throughout offering both praise and critique of Eva’s journey.

The entire cast is on fire – every move and vocal is polished to perfection and Fabian Aloise’s choreography is incredibly intricate and precise yet bursting with a wild, untamed energy at the same time. The minimalist, industrial set by Soutra Gilmour gives the performers the space to breathe, leaning into the gritty, raw atmosphere while keeping the focus on the strength of the cast.

Rachel Zegler lights up the stage as Evita, with a powerhouse performance that grabs you from the get go! Her vocals are flawless and her stage presence is magnetic – commanding every moment with fierce energy and authority. James Olivas is brilliant as Juan Perón, mixing of charisma with calculation as he uses Eva’s fame to aid his political goals. Diego Andres Rodriguez as Che brings a fresh, revolutionary flair and style that adds depth, edge wit and sharp insight to the narrative.

A particularly genius moment makes unexpected use of the Palladium’s balcony (there were literal gasps from fellow audience members around me eek!) EVITA is a rollercoaster of energy and emotion with dazzling performances and expert direction. Grab tickets if you can – I know they’re in demand. Huge thanks to Theatre Audience Podcast for having me – I feel v lucky to have seen this gem!

Still can’t believe this was only a preview and if I’m breaking the rules by saying it was brilliant, so be it!

Tickets available here.